Container



Apr. 17, 1923. 1,451,7fi8

J. Mv FALLS CONTAINER Filed June 28 1922 ties!!! Patented Apr. 17, 1923.

@XUNITED STATES JAMES M. FALLS, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CONTAINER.

Application filed June 28,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. FALLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky. have invented certain new and useful improvements in Containers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in containers, and more particularly to a means for securing the closures thereof in position.

An important object of the invention is to provide a closure fastener which not only secures the closure in position very rigidly but which is in itself sufliciently rigid to permit, the use of the fastener with portable containers where the same will be subjected to a considerable degree of vibration.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure fastener which coacts with the closure in such a manner that the fastener is rendered rigid in proportion to the pressure brought to bear to secure it in position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is extremely simple in its construction and operation, durable in service, and the construction of which is such that it provides substantially no surface which is dificultto clean, thereby permitting the use of the fastener on containers employed for food stufi's. These and other objects I attain by the construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan view showing a container closure constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a section taken through the cam clamping means; and

Figure 4 is a section taken through the ri 'd clamping means.

eferring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a container of any desired construction and the numeral 11 a closure therefor. In the present instance this closure is indicated as a plate having integral reinforcing ribs and provided at its edges with a flange 13 1922. Serial No. 571,418.

adapted to extend downwardly upon the outer wall of the container. The lower end of this flange is provided with a reinforcmg rib 14 which is disclosed as being formed by curling the lower end of the flange about a stiff metal ring 15.

At one side the closure 11 is pivotally con nected to the container 10, as indicated at 16, the pivot having an ofi'set portion 17 to provide clearance for the flange 13 during movement of the closure to open and closed positions. At a point diametrically opposed to the pivotal connection 16 the container has secured thereto below the lower end of the flange 13, a plate 18 having an outwardly extending flange 19 formed thereon. To the closure 11 immediately above the plate 18, a plate 20 is riveted or otherwise secured, as indicated at 21. This plate embodies ears 22 which extend downwardly and outwardly from the plate and have their inner faces abutting against the flange 13 to further reinforce and stiffen the same. Intermediate the ears 22 is pivoted the upper end of a link 23, the lower end of which is provided with a slot 24: dividing this lower end intospaced arms 25. Between the lower extremities of the arms 25 is pivoted the cam end 26 of a cam lever 27. The flange 19 of the plate '18 has formed in the under sur face thereof a cove 28.

When the cam lever 27 is disposed at substantially right angles to the container, clearance is provided to permit passage of the outer end of the flange 19 through the slot 24 above the lever 27. When the lever end is aligned with the cove 28, the lever may be rotated and the cam end thereof engaging against the flange 19 will force the cover firmly downwardly into engagement with the upper end'of the container 10. This fastening, while sufficient for all ordinary purposes, is liable to 'be engaged accidentally by a person in passing and released. Furthermore, fastenings of this type as they be- M come old wear slightly and are liable to release when the containers to which they are attached are vibrated. I accordingly provide at each side of the container approximately midway between the fastening last 1105 described and the hinged or pivotal connection 16, rigid securing members 29.

The securing members 29 are formed by securing upon the side walls of the container hinged plates 30 to which are pivoted no till til

substantially rigid arms 31 having at their upper or free ends an angular extension 32 which, when the arms are elevated, overhangs the upper surface of the closure 11. To the upper surface of the closure, as by means of rivets 33 or the like, I secure a notched plate 34 having an opening formed therein. the wall of which next adjacent the outer edge of the container, as indicated at 35, slopes downwardly and inwardly toward the center of the container. 'lhrough the angular extension 32 of the arms 31 extends a threaded clamping screw 36, the upper end of which is adapted for engagement bv the hand so that it may be rotated and the lower end of which is provided with a conical taper, as indicated at 37, similar to the taper of the wall 35. The screw is so mounted in the angular extension 32 of the arm that when the arm 31 comes into engagement with the rib 14 of the closure 11, the conical lower or entrance end 37 of the screw engages the upper end of the wall 35. It will be seen that by rotating the screw 36 the screw during its downward movement along the wall will force the arm 81 inwardly and since this arm is engaged against the reinforcing head or shoulder of the flange 13, the flange 13 will be forced inwardly and the arm 31 accordingly placed under tension and materially stifl'ened. The screw 36 will compensate for wear occurring at the fastening joint.

It will be obvious that a container cover clamped in accordance with the above will be very rigidly secured in place and all danger of accidental loosening of the lid or closure is effectually eliminated. It will likewise be obvious that the clamping fasteners may be employed with other forms of temporary fastener than the one hereinbefore described and I accordingly do not wish to limit myself to the specific arrangement hereinbefore set forth except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container and a pivoted closure for the container having a depending flange formed at its lower end with a reinforcing rib, of an arm pivoted to the container and having an angular portion overhanging the closure, and coacting means carried by the closure and the angular portion of said arm for forcing the arm inwardly to tension the same against said reinforcing rib and force the rib inwardly toward the container.

2. The combination with a container and a closure therefor having a depending flange engaging the outer surface of the container, of an arm pivoted at one. end to the container and provided at its other end with means coacting with means upon the closure for forcingthe closure toward the container and for forcing the arm inwardly toward the container, said arm in its movement engaging against the flange of the closure to force the same inwardly toward the container wall.

3. The combination with a container-and a closure therefor having a depending flange engaging the outer surface of the container, of an arm pivoted to the container and having a portion adapted to be positioned above the closure, said arm when in the last named position engaging said flange, a member secured to the closure and having a wall inclining downwardly away from the edge of the container, and a member adjustable through said portion of the arm and provided upon its end with a coacting inclined face adapted to engage against said inclined wall.

4. The combination with a container and a closure therefor having a depending flange engaging the outer surface of the container, of an arm pivoted at one end to the container and provided at its other end with an angular portion adapted to extend over the JAMES M. FALLS. 

